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Shea-Porter: GOP ad about ACA in NH is false

By JOHN DiSTASOSenior Political Reporter

MANCHESTER — A spokesman for 1st District U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter said Tuesday a new Republican radio ad accusing her of breaking a promise on the Affordable Care Act is "false" and should not be aired.

"Washington Republicans should take down their misleading attack ads and stop frightening Granite Staters who hold individual policies from Anthem, because they can indeed renew their policies and keep their current doctors and hospitals," said Democrat Shea-Porter spokesman Ben Wakana.

The 60-second ad by the National Republican Congresssional Committee, which began airing on Tuesday, depicts a woman whose husband has lost his insurance policy because Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the lone New Hampshire ACA network provider, includes only a portion of the state's hospitals. The ads says Shea-Porter, like President Barack Obama, broke a promise that under the ACA, those who like their existing health insurance plans could keep them.

The Shea-Porter spokesman said she "worked this out" with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield last month: "New Hampshire residents who hold individual policies from Anthem have until Dec. 16 to renew their current policies and keep their hospitals and doctors in 2014.

"In fact, under the Affordable Care Act, families in a situation like the one depicted in this ad no longer face lifetime limits on coverage, they won't suffer from bankruptcy due to overwhelming medical bills, and they can't be kicked off their insurance or kept from getting insurance because of illness," Wakana said.

"Washington Republicans should stop trying to take people's insurance away and start working to improve the Affordable Care Act."

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Marc Brumer said, "This new attack is just more proof that Republicans, including (1st District U.S. House seat candidates) Frank Guinta and Dan Innis are on a vicious mission to repeal the Affordable Care Act and go back to a broken system that was leading hardworking Granite Staters into bankruptcy."

A spokesman for the Innis campaign responded, "Faced with the consequences of their bad law, Congresswoman Shea-Porter and the DCCC have retreated to same old campaign style talking points that got us into this mess in the first place. That's why Dan has proposed the Innis Agenda for Health Care, a bold set of reforms that will move us beyond the ObamaCare squabbles, and actually do something to make health care more affordable and accessible."